CASA EX45/24 — Operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Over Populous Area Exemption 2024

as amended

made under regulation 11.160 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998.

This compilation takes into account amendments up to instrument CASA EX92/25 — Amendment of CASA EX45/24 (Operation of Certain Remotely Piloted Aircraft Over Populous Area) Instrument 2025. It is a compilation of CASA EX45/24 — Operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Over Populous Area Exemption 2024, as amended and in force on 16 November 2025.

Prepared by the Legal Services Branch, Legal, International & Regulatory Affairs Division, Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Canberra.

Compilation No. 1.

1 Name

  This instrument is CASA EX45/24 — Operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Over Populous Area Exemption 2024.

2 Duration

  This instrument:

(b) is repealed at the end of 31 July 2027.

3 Definitions

  In this instrument:

approved area has the meaning given by regulation 101.236 of CASR.

certificated RPA means a relevant RPA for which a certificate of airworthiness has been issued.

populous area has the meaning given by regulation 101.025 of CASR.

relevant approval means any of the following approvals, whether granted before or after the commencement of this definition:

(a) an approval under regulation 101.029 of CASR, for the purposes of subregulation 101.245(5) of CASR, to operate a relevant RPA that is not a certificated RPA within 30 metres of a person who is not directly associated with the operation;

(b) an approval given for the purposes of paragraph 7(3)(a) of CASA 20/25 – Operation of Certain Unmanned Aircraft and Rockets – Directions Instrument 2025 (CASA 20/25) to operate a relevant RPA in, or over, another person’s safety zone.

Note   The term safety zone is defined in subsection 7(2) of CASA 20/25.

relevant person: see section 4.

relevant RPA means a very small RPA, small RPA, medium RPA or large RPA.

4 Application

  This instrument applies if:

(a) a person (the relevant person) holds a relevant approval; and

(b) the relevant approval is not suspended; and

(c) the relevant person complies with the conditions of the relevant approval.

5 Exemptions — operating over a populous area

 (1) Subsection (2) applies if the relevant RPA is a very small RPA, small RPA or medium RPA.

 (2) If the relevant person operates the relevant RPA outside an approved area over a populous area, the relevant person is exempt from compliance with paragraph 101.250(1)(b) of CASR in relation to the operation.

 (3) If the relevant person operates the relevant RPA over a populous area, the relevant person is exempt from compliance with subregulation 101.280(2) of CASR in relation to the operation.

Note to CASA EX45/24 — Operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Over Populous Area Exemption 2024

CASA EX45/24 — Operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Over Populous Area Exemption 2024 (in force under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998) as shown in this compilation comprises CASA EX45/24 — Operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Over Populous Area Exemption 2024 amended as indicated in the Tables below.

Table of instruments